Spin-Selective Transport of Electrons in DNA Double Helix

Abstract

The experiment that the high spin selectivity and the length-dependent spin polarization are observed in double-stranded DNA [Science 331, 894 (2011)], is elucidated by considering the combination of the spin-orbit coupling, the environment-induced dephasing, and the helical symmetry. We show that the spin polarization in double-stranded DNA is significant even in the case of weak spin-orbit coupling, while no spin polarization appears in single-stranded DNA. Furthermore, the underlying physical mechanism and the parameter dependence of the spin polarization are studied.